Bath tub accessory



Aug. 18, 1959 N. E. HOPKINS 2,899,688

BATH TUB ACCESSORY v Filed-Fe 4,' 1958 w 2 She et-Shet 1 Aug. 18, N, ELHQPKINS I BATH TUB ACCESSORY I Filed Feb. 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P so 72 62 +4 ":9 66 72 INvENToR Nozms EHOPKINS ATTY.

BATH TUB ACCESSORY Norris E. Hopkins, Chesterton, Ind.

Application February 4, 1958, Serial No. 713,202 1 Claim. (c1. 4-185 The present invention relates to bath tub accessories and has particular reference to a novel form of supporting nited States atent rack adapted to be itself supported on the flat upper rim portion of a bath tub and capable of being moved from an extended operative position wherein it may be found useful as a seat for the bather, as a support for various portions of the body during bathing, as a stand for the entire body, as a steadying support for reaction purposes, as a support and drain for wet articles such as soap, wash cloths, bath tub toys and the like, as a temporary support for bathing accessories such as bottled shampoo liquids, rubbing lotions, cosmetic jars and the like, as a towel rack, or for other purposes too numerous to mention, and a retracted out-of-the-way position where it will con sume but little useful space.

The bath tub rack of the present invention has been designed for use particularly in connection with bath tubs of the so-called built-in type which are installed within a bath tub alcove which opens into the bathroom proper and wherein the bath tub is surrounded by the three walls of the alcove in contiguity therewith. In such instances the rack is movably mounted on the head wall at one end of the tub in such a manner that it may be swung from a horizontal position wherein. it overlies a limited portion of the head end of the tub with the rack as a whole resting squarely on the fiat upper rim surface of the tub, to a substantially vertical position wherein it is in close coextensive proximity to the wall while at the same time remaining fully visible for display purposes.

It is among the prinicpal objects of the invention to provide a bath tub fixture of this sort in which, although the fixture 'is' movably mounted on thehead wall adjacent to the bath tub and permanently attached thereto, the full weight thereof is at'a'll times supported by the bath tub rim, either in its extended position or: its retracted position, or in any intermediate position which the fixture may assume during movement from one extreme position to the other.

Another and important object of the invention, in a bath tub fixture of this type, is to provide a movable rack assembly of the bar grating frame type in which the side members which retain the various parallel rack bars in position are formed of a resilient material capable of deformation and return to'its' original state, these side members being adapted to assume horizontal positions on the bath tub rim when the rack is in its operative extended position with the members resting squarely on the rim so that they may flex and'assume the contour of the rim. By such an arrangement wide tolerances are allowed in the installation of the attachment'or mounting means for the rack on the adjacent wall surface without incurring the danger of wobbling of the rack on the rim or" of placing undue stress on either or both of the two mounting brackets which constitute the mounting means. Addi-' tionally, because the rack side memberspossess a considerable degree of resilience and are capable of deice 2 trapment of the fingers, of a child for example, when the rack is lowered from its retracted position to its operative position on the bath tub n'm. Furthermore, due to the softness of the material of which the side members of the-rack are formed, the noise which ordinarily would be attendant upon slamming of the rack to its operative position is obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a bath tub rack which is capable of being easily assembled or knocked down for purposes of storage or shipment, the assembly or disassembly being readily accomplished without requiring the use of tools.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bath tub rack of this character having a rack bar grating and which, when the rack is moved to its retracted out-ofthe-way position, will present a plurality of superimposed rod supports which may be utilized for hanging various articles of'clothing such as stockings and similar articles which have been washed and are to be exposed to the atmosphere for drying purposes.

The provision of a bath tub rack which is of extremely simple construction and which may therefore be manufactured at a low cost; one which is rugged, strong and durable and which therefore will withstand rough usage over a long period of time; one which may be applied to a bath tub without requiring any particular degree of skill; one which'is attractive in its appearance and pleasing inits design, and one which otherwise is well adapted to perform the services required of it are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will suggest themselves as the fol lowing description ensues.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view partly in section of a bath tub alcove having a built-in bath tub associated therewith and to which bath tub a retractible bath tube fixture constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has operatively been applied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

formation, there will be no danger of pinching or at.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the retractible bath tub fixture;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of one end region of the fixture showing the manner in which the same is operatively supported on the bath tub sill in any of the positions of which it is capable of assuming.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to Fig; l, the bath tub alcove is designated in its entirety at 10 and is comprised of a rear wall 12, end walls 14 and 16, afloor' 18 and ceiling (not shown). The alcove 10 opens into a bath room proper 20. An exemplary bath tub 22 of the built-in type is shown as being disposed within the alcove 10 and substantially filling the floor region thereof The bath tub '22 is of conventional design and includes the usual side wall or apron 24, a rear'wall 26, a foot wall 28 and a head wall'30 as well as a bottom wall 32. The bottom wall 32 is provided with the usual drain assembly 34 operable under the control of'a fixture 36 provided on the wall 14. A cap type inlet nozzle 38 mounted on the foot wall 28- is adapted to admit water to the bath tub cavity or bowl under the control of suitable hot and cold water fixtures 40 and 42 respectively operatively mounted on the wall 14. The arrangement of parts thus far described is purely conventional and no claim is made herein to any novelty associated with the same, the novelty of the present application residing rather in the retractible bath tub fixture which has been designated in its entirety at 50 and the nature and function of which will now be more fully described.

The fixture t) of the present invention is generally in the form of a rack consisting of a pair of side members 52 and 54 respectively the distance between which is bridged by a plurality of cylindrical members arranged in spaced parallel relationship and which are preferably in the form of tubular rods 56. The side members 52 and 54 are substantially identical in construction and each is comprised of a solid strip of a resilient elastomeric material such as rubber, either natural or synthetic, or a rubber substitute. Each strip is fairly massive, is generally rectangular in transverse cross section, and possesses appreciable thickness both in vertical and horizontal direction as viewed in Figs. 4 and 5. The ends of the strips are semi-cylindrical as indicated at 53 for a purpose that will be made clear presently. As best seen in Fig. 5 the two side members 52 and 54 extend in parallelism and the opposed inner faces thereof are recessed to provide a series of relatively deep cylindrical sockets 69 therein, the diameter of which is slightly less than the external diameter of the ends of the various rods 56 so that these ends may be forced into the sockets with a fairly tight fit. The frictional contact between the ends of the rods and the walls of the sockets 60 constitute the sole means for retaining the side members 52 and 54 in position on the ends of the rods.

The end members 52 and 54, together with the various rods 56 constitute, in efiect, a rack-like structure adapted to be positioned on the sill or rim portion 29 of the bath tub 22 adjacent the head end of the bath tub as best seen in Fig. l with the two side members 52 and 54 resting flat on the rim 29 and extending in a longitudinal direction relative to the bath tub. With the two side members 52 and 54 thus supported on the rim 29 of the bath tub 22, the rack-like structure as a whole will assume a generally horizontal position. The structure is adapted to be pivotally supported from the wall 16 in such a manner that the same may be swung from the horizontal position shown in full lines in Fig. l to the generally vertical position shown in dotted lines wherein the structure leans so to speak at a slight incline against the wall 16. Accordingly, a pair of unitary attachment brackets 62 of identical construction are each provided with a vertical flange portion 64 provided with holes 66 therethrough designed for reception of attachment screws 67 by means of which the brackets may be mounted on the wall 16. Each attachment member 62 is provided with a horizontal flange portion 68 the distal end of which has formed thereon a ring-like bearing member or sleeve 70 which encompasses the outermost rod 56 at one end of the rack structure and through which the rod extends with a loose fit. The two attachment brackets 62 may be spaced along the rod 56 on which they are mounted at appropriate distances therealong and the rod is prevented from shifting longitudinally through the sleeve portion 71) of the brackets 62 by means of a pair of centering collars 72 having set screws 74 associated therewith.

It will be observed from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 6 that the length of the horizontal flange 68 of each attachment bracket 62 is such that this flange projects an appreciable distance beyond the end of the side members 52 and 54. It will also be observed that the semi-cylindrical ends 58 of the members 52 and 54 are concentric with the axis of the adjacent tubular member 56 and that the radius of curvature of these ends is substantially equal to one-half vertical thickness of the side mem the bers 52 and 54 and is preferably a few thousandths of an inch greater than one-half such thickness. By such an arrangement, as the rack structure is moved between its horizontal position wherein the side members 52 and 54 rest squarely on the rim 29 of the bath tub 22 and its substantially vertical leaning position as has been indicated by the dotted line position of Fig. 6, the ends of the members 54 will make sliding line contact as indicated at with the upper surface of the bath tub rim 29 so that the weight of the entire structure will at all times be substantially entirely supported on the bath tub rim. By making the radius of curvature of the ends 58 of the members 52 and 54 slightly greater than one-half the vertical thickness of these members, the resiliency of the material of which the members are formed is taken into consideration so that in any position of the rack structure substantially the full weight of the latter will be borne by the bath tub rim and not by the brackets 62. In this manner, wall fatigue and consequent pulling of the bracket from the wall is obviated. Additionally, by making the flange 68 of appreciable extent, the previously described leaning position of the rack structure may be attained wherein the structure assumes a degree of stable equilibrium and is unlikely to fall or tilt to its horizontal position. Finally, it is to be observed that since the side members 52 and 54 are formed of fairly soft yieldable resilient material, such as rubber, little damage will be done to the fingers or other parts of the body which may become interposed between the rack structure and the rim of the bath tub during lowering movements of the structure since the end members 52 and 54 will yield upon encountering an obstruction. Be cause of the fact that the various tubular members 56 are frictionally received in their respective sockets 60 the entire rack assembly is capable of being easily knocked down for purposes of packaging or shipment. The extreme simplicity of the rack structure enables a user to readily assemble the same without requiring detailed instructions.

in compliance with Title 35, U8. Code, Section 112 a preferred form of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described herein, but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific dis.- closure made, and that various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

For use in connection with a bath tub alcove having a side wall, a foot wall and a head wall, and a bath tub of the built-in type operatively installed within said alcove with the horizontal rim of the bath tub being sealed coextensively along three sides thereof to said walls, a retractible rack adapted to be movably mounted on said head wall of the alcove and movable from an extended operative position of use to a retracted out-of-theway position, said rack comprising a pair of elongated parallel normally straight side members formed of a resilient elastomeric material and capable of yielding flexing movement, each of said side members being substantially rectangular in transverse cross section and having semi-cylindrical ends, the inner side faces of said side members being formed with a plurality of aligned pairs of cylindrical sockets therein with the sockets of each side member being arranged in a longitudinally extending row with equal socket-spacing between adjacent sockets, a transverse rack bar extending between each pair of aligned sockets with the ends of the bar fitting snugly within the sockets, the internal diameter of said sockets being slightly less than the external diameter of said oars whereby said bar ends are disposed within their respective sockets with a forced fit, a pair of unitary one-piece mounting brackets for attaching said rack to said head wall, each mounting bracket comprising. a vertical attachment flange adapted to be secured to said head wall, a horizontal flange extending laterally from said vertical flange and a bearing ring formed at the distal end of said horizontal flange and loosely encircling one of the outermost rack bars whereby the rack as a whole is pivotally connected to said mounting brackets, said rack in its extended position being adapted to be in a substantially horizontal plane with said resilient side members resting squarely on the bath tub rim in 00- extensive face-to-face contact therewith, said rack in its retracted position being adapted to lie in a plane which is slightly inclined from a vertical plane with the upper ends of the side members engaging the head wall and with the lower ends thereof resting endwise on said bath tub rim, the surfaces of said semi-cylindrical ends of the side members being concentric with said one outermost rack bar, the radius of curvature of said semicylindrical ends of said side members being substantially equal to the vertical distance between the axis of said outermost rack bar and the plane of the bath tub rim when the rack is in its extended position of rest on the rim whereby the weight of said rack will be supported on the bath tub rim in all positions of the rack, said horizontal flange being of appreciable extent so that when the rack is in its retracted position, the same will assume an unstable degree of equilibrium with the end of the rack remote from said mounting brackets being adapted to lean against said head wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 170,762 Nye Dec. 7, 1875 1,923,482 Frankenstein Aug. 22, 1933 2,487,228 Feichtmeir Nov. 8, 1949 2,633,998 Derman Apr. 7, 1953 

